Christian Pulisic looked frustrated after the final whistle and made clear how much work lies ahead for Mauricio Pochettino, but added that he thought there were better days ahead.
A defensive error in the 89th minute earned the U.S. a 1-1 draw with New Zealand in a friendly on Tuesday night, a match that began 30 minutes after the U.S. Soccer Federation announced it had hired Pochettino to coach the Americans through the 2026 World Cup.
“It's time to move on and we really have to take another step,” Pulisic said. “We're all part of this and I feel pretty bad right now, but I know that better times are coming.”
Mikey Varas led the team in his second game as interim coach following the firing of Gregg Berhalter, who was let go after the Americans' first-round exit at the Copa America. The U.S. was coming off a 2-1 loss to Canada on Saturday, the U.S.'s first loss to the Canadians on home soil since 1957.
Pulisic put the U.S. ahead in the 69th minute, 12 minutes after coming on, and with 31 international goals he surpassed Brian McBride for fifth place on the U.S. all-time scoring list. But carelessness by Caleb Wiley and Mark McKenzie led to Ben Waine's goal in the 89th minute.
The United States is winless in four straight games overall and in four straight games at home for the first time since a seven-game skid in 2010-11.
Pochettino will arrive in the United States on Wednesday and take charge before the Oct. 12 games against Panama in Austin, Texas, and the Oct. 12 game against Mexico three days later.
“Everyone is excited about this new chapter. He brings tremendous quality,” Varas said. “I'm proud that we've made some progress with the program. And with Mauricio's arrival, it's going to accelerate now and I think really good things are in store for us.”
Pulisic scored after an 11-pass play involving Chris Richards, McKenzie, Aidan Morris, Marlon Fossey, Luca de la Torre, Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun. After Pepi passed the ball to him, Pulisic touched it with his left foot and right foot and then curled an angled left-foot shot under defender Bill Tuiloma and past goalkeeper Max Crocombe.
New Zealand's goal came after Nando Pijnaker played a long ball over half the pitch. The ball bounced off Logan Rogerson, who was standing a foot away, and Wiley tried to head it clear, but crossed the ball past McKenzie.
McKenzie moved his left leg in another attempt to clear, and the ball bounced off Waine and over goalkeeper Matt Turner, who was about 8 metres from his line.
Turner, playing his first game in 10 weeks, put his hands on his hips and clapped them on his sides. Pulisic glared at him as the final whistle blew after nearly 10 minutes of stoppage time.
Pepi, one of six changes to the U.S. lineup, appeared to put the U.S. ahead in the 19th minute off a toe-deep pass from Fossey, a right back who made his national team debut a day after turning 26. But Pepi shoved defender Liberato Cacace just before the shot and Honduran referee Selvin Brown disallowed the goal after consulting with an assistant.
No MLS player has started for the seventh time in eight games. Only eight of the 209 starting positions have been occupied by MLS players in the 19 games in which the full roster has been available since the 2022 World Cup.
Pulisic anticipates that Pochettino will implement changes.
“Hopefully there is a culture that is willing to fight, that is willing to take risks,” said the AC Milan winger. “There are a lot of things that need to change, just the mentality and the culture of the group. I think we have the quality, but I know I hope that is the first thing he wants to change.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
